The MLB Mascot Game

Aaron Roberts, @BertsBall

Monday, April 1, 2013 10:11 PM

Baseball has been around for more than 150 years. In that time there have been some pretty crazy and silly things that teams have introduced and fans have embraced. None have had more longevity or personality than the Team Mascot. A fan-favorite, most teams have cycled through various characters and animals testing the waters with outlandish designs and funny costumes. They’ve ranged from giant anthropomorphic Baseballs to unidentifiable creatures. Yet throughout all of the rich mascot history, there are still four teams of the 30 that don’t have an official mascot.

The Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs and Angels.

Those are some heavy hitters in the vast mythos of Baseball. I didn’t want them to be left out so I thought I’d give these four teams a mascot. In the interest of being fair, though, I consulted with each teams biggest fan and got their input (except for the Dodgers.)

The Yankees

So here’s a fun fact. The Yankees actually used to have a mascot. Who knew, right? His name was Dandy, and he was a giant bird with a mustache that wore a Yankees uniform. Class all the way. He only stuck around for three seasons after which the Yankees brass decided to give him the axe. So a giant bird with a mustache is out. The Yanks could go with a city vibe and make their mascot a giant Empire State building or an Uncle Sam with a Baseball bat. I feel like it’s just a tad too corny, though. So @stephelovee had a different idea. Since the Yankees have the “Bleacher Creatures,” she wanted the Yankees mascot to be some form of creature that represents the fans in the outfield. (Thanks, @Stephelovee.)

The Dodgers

This one’s tricky since the Dodgers originated in Brooklyn. A mascot should represent the legacy, the present and where the organization is headed. The Dodgers play in Los Angeles where the sun always shines and since Palm Trees are a staple of the stadium, I’m going with a big ol’ Palm Tree that has sunglasses on as our mascot.

The Cubs

This one’s dangerous. You can’t go with the obvious choice of a bear cub and I feel like making the mascot a brick wall with ivy on it is too on the nose. So @Katiecernek came up with a great idea. Despite not having won a World Series title in almost 100 years, the Cubs' faithful remain strong though and actually rally behind their underdog image. So Katie thinks the Cubs mascot should be a Dog! Not just any Dog, an Underdog! He could come out of a doghouse covered in ivy to excite the fans and spark late inning rallies. This would embrace their underdog image and also add a bit of Wrigley field flavor. (Thanks, @KatieCernek.)

The Angels

Trying to figure out what the Angels mascot would be, you start to tread a risky path. Like the Cubs, you can’t go with the obvious choice. So going with some form of Angel or something with wings and a halo goes right out the window. The Angels also have an unofficial mascot called the Rally Monkey. You could meld these two together and slap some wings on a monkey and call it a day but @ohshootitsdan is a little more creative than that. One of the most revered players in Angels history is Tim Salmon. The current future of the franchise is Mike Trout (see where I’m going with this?) They’re the fish. They’re the Angel Fish. The Angels new Mascot is none other than the adorable sea dweller known as the Angelfish! (Thanks, @Ohshootitsdan.)

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